Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Thackley Cleaning Services on August 13, 2011, 07:28:32 pm
-
With all this talk about truckmounts vs portables and price being a prohibitive factor has anyone actually tried to build their own truckmount from individually bought bits ?
Im not a techie but how hard would it be and what bits would you need ?
The guys with TM's do you think that you could build a TM for less money than you bought it for ?
danny
-
I've heard of some successful stories of people building their own... Hardly rocket science I suppose :D
I'd love to harness the power of a jet engine and have the most powerful carpet cleaner in the world. Costing about 1 grand an hour to run, there's a few people on here who earn twice that ;D
-
;D ;D ;D
-
"I'd love to harness the power of a jet engine" blimey Colin...do you want to clean then or fly them round the world.. ;D
-
Mick Halliday has built his own, it's a freaking beeeeeast!!!
My truckmount is a fairly simple one but Mike still tweaked it and called it overengineered lol
pmsl col
-
I haven't done it, but as an ex mechanic it wouldn't be rocket science.
Unless someone comes up with a kit version it would be time consuming and you'd need to make sure you get the balance spot on between engine and blower, totally secure within a frame and meet legal requirements with regards to noise and exhaust emmissions, not forgetting a safe fuel delivery system.
There are other items too but these would be the big ones.
-
It's for people who like scrapheap challenge. The time involved wouldn't be worth it unless you'd be building something in the garage anyway.
http://www.turbinefun.com/Turbine_Powered_Projects.asp
-
when you consider than restoremate are asking for six and half grand for a prowler, surely for a couple of grand you could source the same parts and put together a machine with the same capability and power for the price of a porty.
most of the parts are available online including generators, hoses, vacs etc... the only thing that you would have to find would be the casing to house the whole caboodle.
-
when you consider than restoremate are asking for six and half grand for a prowler, surely for a couple of grand you could source the same parts and put together a machine with the same capability and power for the price of a porty.
most of the parts are available online including generators, hoses, vacs etc... the only thing that you would have to find would be the casing to house the whole caboodle.
Now, there's a technical term I like.... :)
-
when you consider than restoremate are asking for six and half grand for a prowler, surely for a couple of grand you could source the same parts and put together a machine with the same capability and power for the price of a porty.
most of the parts are available online including generators, hoses, vacs etc... the only thing that you would have to find would be the casing to house the whole caboodle.
Not quite as easy as that, you have to have the knowledge of how to do it, resources to do it. And time to do it.
I could do all three but it would take a fair bit of time and in that time I could clean a lot of carpets or be marketing my business. Or just relaxing.
Take something like a bicycle you wouldn't build one from scratch because frames are hard to make, however as has been said if there was a kit available then maybe?
-
I'd love to harness the power of a jet engine and have the most powerful carpet cleaner in the world. Costing about 1 grand an hour to run, there's a few people on here who earn twice that ;D
Come on get on with it then. ;D
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=128937.0;attach=26598)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BAC-TSR2-RAF-Aircraft-Olympus-320-Jet-Engine-TSR-2-/130557091343#ht_4569wt_907
-
Four to the door?
-
As a well equipped and trained carpet cleaner you have a great earning potential. The time it would take to design, source and build a machine would be considerable and probably put to better use marketing your trade. Even with years of truckmount experience I would not undertake such a venture as it would not be cost effective.
Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com (http://www.carpetcleanercardiff.com)
-
My problem is I'm crap at fixing things let alone building.
i have Mike H on speeddial ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
Danny (or anyone else thinking about building their own truckmount),
Download a full user manual for a TM with all the exploded drawings, and count how many parts there are!
If you can't piece it together in your head you'd probably struggle to build a machine in real life!
People like Mike Halliday are a rarity, an exception. Mike is obviously very passionate, and very handy, when it comes to handling engineering projects in his own shed. I think the majority of the rest of us don't need to waste our time and money because we'd never make it happen!
-
If it was that easy I would be building a similar machine to a Prowler. But a quick tot up just shows how daft that would be. Blower £900, Heat exchanger £700, Engine £900, Pump £400, Hoses, rough guess, £120, Guages, pressure regulator, Solenoid valve £120, Then you have to have frame which is lazer cut then welded then powder coated. I doubt I could get someone to make that to the same quality for less than 5-6 hundred if not more. Theres getting on 4k then you have the labour costs, marketing, overheads and Profit. Just wouldn't be worth it.
Thats not to say building one yourself is out of the question. I think it would be relatively easy if you had some basic skills. It probably wouldn't be of merchantable quality but would do the job. But as Paul says probably better off earning or marketing.
-
Why do people think tm's are 'prohibitively' expensive? My first TM cost £7,500 + vat twenty odd years ago. Now, you can still buy an entry level TM for £7,500 + vat and because of the prices we charge these days you can have your money back in a month or so! What's expensive about that?
Simon
-
and didn't your first TM last a few years as well.
-
My first one was a Prochem 100A with a 16 hp rope start engine and a diesel fired burner. We then had the first of every new technology since, the Titan 875 is my 7th.
Simon
-
plus you would have to factor in the breakdowns for all those little teething problems with time to fix the knackered parts and ways round the issues you would be better off buying a cheap second hand one see how the pros have done it and then build the next one if you were still that way inclined.
-
A few of us could build one from bits in a scrap yard and HM could host a Robot Wars type event... "Truck Mount Torture" ;D
-
Why do people think tm's are 'prohibitively' expensive? My first TM cost £7,500 + vat twenty odd years ago. Now, you can still buy an entry level TM for £7,500 + vat and because of the prices we charge these days you can have your money back in a month or so! What's expensive about that?
Simon
Can of worms there but got to say i agree.
maybe 3/4 months if your new to the industry
-
Now, you can still buy an entry level TM for £7,500 + vat and because of the prices we charge these days you can have your money back in a month or so!
You should be able to do with a porty, it's all about having the business in place already, being organised and methodical about how you do things. (unlike your example the other day of someone taking half a day to do a few rooms).
-
you cannot do the same job with a portable they are far inferior machines. You just cannot grasp the fact can you. I have improved portables added vac motors you cannot replicate the performance of a truckmount unless you spent more than the cost of a truckmount doing it. Yes you can do a reasonable job with a portable but as a matter of pride somebody will constantly wish to improve the service they give to their customers and will ultimately end up with a truckmount. Either that or they carry on kidding themselves that what they have is as good as, it is lack of knowledge, which is something that I did for a long time.
Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com (http://www.carpetcleanercardiff.com)
-
you cannot do the same job with a portable they are far inferior machines. You just cannot grasp the fact can you.
DID I SAY THAT? SERIOUSLY DID I SAY THAT?
No one including myself will dispute that ounce for ounce a TM is a better machine but I can easily do over £4k a month with a porty, so the statement about getting your £7k back in 2 months with a TM doesn't actually appeal when you do expenditure verses income or ROI.
So would I like a TM? yes
Can I justify the expenditure for the amount of work we do and is available? no
Would I build my own? yes if I had enough free time on my hands and the facilities.
-
you cannot do the same job with a portable they are far inferior machines. You just cannot grasp the fact can you.
DID I SAY THAT? SERIOUSLY DID I SAY THAT?
Sorry Neil, i couldn't hear you, what did you say again?????? ;D ;D
-
Sorry Neil, i couldn't hear you, what did you say again?????? ;D ;D
DID I SAY THAT? SERIOUSLY DID I SAY THAT?
can you hear that ;)
-
MUCH BETTER
;D
-
you cannot do the same job with a portable they are far inferior machines. You just cannot grasp the fact can you. I have improved portables added vac motors you cannot replicate the performance of a truckmount unless you spent more than the cost of a truckmount doing it. Yes you can do a reasonable job with a portable but as a matter of pride somebody will constantly wish to improve the service they give to their customers and will ultimately end up with a truckmount. Either that or they carry on kidding themselves that what they have is as good as, it is lack of knowledge, which is something that I did for a long time.
Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com (http://www.carpetcleanercardiff.com)
Getting back to lawn mowers (from another post) ;D ;D
I have a petrol beast made by Honda, it really does look the business, my neighbour has a little electric flymo thing, I do mine a bit quicker than him, but I have to admit he has the best looking lawn on the close :(
-
you cannot do the same job with a portable they are far inferior machines. You just cannot grasp the fact can you. I have improved portables added vac motors you cannot replicate the performance of a truckmount unless you spent more than the cost of a truckmount doing it. Yes you can do a reasonable job with a portable but as a matter of pride somebody will constantly wish to improve the service they give to their customers and will ultimately end up with a truckmount. Either that or they carry on kidding themselves that what they have is as good as, it is lack of knowledge, which is something that I did for a long time.
Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com (http://www.carpetcleanercardiff.com)
perhaps he was not a tight ass and bought better quality turf
Getting back to lawn mowers (from another post) ;D ;D
I have a petrol beast made by Honda, it really does look the business, my neighbour has a little electric flymo thing, I do mine a bit quicker than him, but I have to admit he has the best looking lawn on the close :(
-
Well I picked mine up from the local tip,cleaned the plug,put some fuel in,started first time,that was 2 years ago,sits outside in the rain,best mower I have had... ;D
-
perhaps he was not a tight ass and bought better quality turf
No, our turf is bought from the same field, he always pre-vacs his first and he uses the correct chemicals to kill all the weeds and the moss, he does the edges with scissors on his hands and knees :D but because my lawnmower is better, more powerful and much more expensive than his I dont have to bother :-\ We can both start our lawns at the same time on a Sunday morning, by the time hes just plugged his little flymo in after vaccing I'm sat with my feet up, job done :) logged onto this forum with a brew and a bacon butty in my hand ;D
-
MUCH BETTER
;D
About quarter past seven
-
perhaps he was not a tight ass and bought better quality turf
No, our turf is bought from the same field, he always pre-vacs his first and he uses the correct chemicals to kill all the weeds and the moss, he does the edges with scissors on his hands and knees :D but because my lawnmower is better, more powerful and much more expensive than his I dont have to bother :-\ We can both start our lawns at the same time on a Sunday morning, by the time hes just plugged his little flymo in after vaccing I'm sat with my feet up, job done :) logged onto this forum with a brew and a bacon butty in my hand ;D
Well, the right tool in the wrong hands always does a crap job!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D
-
Speak of tools Billy have you got to grips with your new machine ;D
-
I was just talking about tools and up pops 'Old Man Ingram', Thanks again for sorting out my problem last week mate.
You're still the dogs doodaas.
-
you cannot do the same job with a portable they are far inferior machines.
you arrogant muppet.
I using a karcher puzzi 100 could do just as good a job as you using your TM...............
It may take a lot longer but I could do just as good a job as you.
Who the hell are you to question anyone's skill at cleaning??
Just because you have a TM does NOT make you a better carpet cleaner.
It just means that you have a bigger machine.
The skill is in the workman and not his tools.........
-
Hector,
A Puzzi 100 :o :o
Agree with you that you can still get a good result because of skill.
Simon
-
No I don't have one Simon, it was just an example.
I did have an extractor machine or 2 before I went LM though.
-
perhaps he was not a tight ass and bought better quality turf
No, our turf is bought from the same field, he always pre-vacs his first and he uses the correct chemicals to kill all the weeds and the moss, he does the edges with scissors on his hands and knees :D but because my lawnmower is better, more powerful and much more expensive than his I dont have to bother :-\ We can both start our lawns at the same time on a Sunday morning, by the time hes just plugged his little flymo in after vaccing I'm sat with my feet up, job done :) logged onto this forum with a brew and a bacon butty in my hand ;D
Well, the right tool in the wrong hands always does a crap job!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D
My sentiments exactly :)
Plenty of equipment on here with the right tools
I typed it so fast.. did I get that the wrong way round ;D
-
Simon, do you think LM cleaning does as good job as your Titan?
-
oooooooooeeeerrrrr
talk about a leading question :o
hehehehe ;D ;D ;D
-
Re: Build your own Truckmount
« Reply #40 on: Today at 08:42:03 pm »
Simon, do you think LM cleaning does as good job as your Titan?
I couldn't possibly answer that question on the grounds that it may destroy my fledgling friendship with Hector, or his with me. So I am saying :-X :-X
-
;D
-
What Simon Said
-
see pic
-
Simon, do you think LM cleaning does as good job as your Titan?
Bit of a silly question really, given they are completely different systems designed for completely different applications.
(There you go, Hector, it took me all night to think that supremely diplomatic answer up) ;D
Simon
-
Today I'm doing scheduled maintenance on a machine I built some time back. I'm hoping to tweak it today so it delivers even better results. It has far more power than anything anyone on here has built from old blowers and pumps and is totally focused on my business rather than a displacement activity. It's called a marketing machine!. :D
-
Simon, do you think LM cleaning does as good job as your Titan?
Bit of a silly question really, given they are completely different systems designed for completely different applications.
(There you go, Hector, it took me all night to think that supremely diplomatic answer up) ;D
Simon
Excellent answer Simon.........
Well worth the sleepless night.. ;D